Who is on the 2026 F1 Grid? Each Team’s Driver Pairing for the Next Year

McLaren - Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri

After ending the year on a high, with both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships in the bag, McLaren is hoping to continue their success with the same driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in 2026. The two were both contenders for the Drivers’ Title until the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where Norris took the top honor of the year by just 13 points. 

Norris has spent his entire F1 career with McLaren, and will be entering his seventh season with them in 2026. He is on a multi-year contract with the team, which was extended in January of 2024, and will likely see him stay in papaya colors until 2027.

Piastri, too, has only driven for McLaren so far in his F1 career, and impressed by fighting for a Championship in just his third season overall. He is likewise on a multi-year deal, which was extended in March of 2025.

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Mercedes - George Russel, Kimi Antonelli

The Mercedes 2026 driver line-up remained a mystery for quite some time, as it appeared that the Silver Arrows were looking to switch things up and pursue Max Verstappen. Yet soon after it was confirmed that Verstappen was not intending to leave his team, Mercedes confirmed that it would be sticking with their current duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

2025 was one of, if not the best year of Russell’s career so far, and saw him claim two wins and nine total podiums. While his contract was initially set to expire at the end of 2025, in October, he announced that it had been extended. While the details are unknown, the extension is for multiple seasons.

Antonelli made his debut in F1 during the 2025 season and, despite some ups and downs, had a successful year, earning three total podiums as a rookie. As of now, his contract with Mercedes is until the end of 2026.

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Red Bull - Max Verstappen, Isack Hadjar

The last team to confirm their 2026 driver line-up, Red Bull announced following the 2025 Qatar Grand Prix that they will be promoting Isack Hadjar to become Max Verstappen’s teammate for the upcoming season.

Verstappen will start the 2026 season with the number ‘3’ on his car, after missing out on his fifth consecutive Drivers’ Championship by just two points, losing the right to use ‘1’ as his driver number. This will be his 11th season in F1, and within the Red Bull family. His contract is until the end of 2028, but it is understood that several exit clauses are in place.

After a stunning rookie season in which he got his maiden podium at the Dutch Grand Prix, Hadjar is making the move up to Red Bull, where he will become Verstappen’s seventh new teammate. The length of his contract is unspecified.

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Ferrari - Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari is heading into their second season with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as their drivers in 2026. The team struggled during the previous season, failing to record a single Grand Prix victory all year, and will be hoping for some more success under the incoming F1 regulations.

Leclerc will be entering his seventh season with the Scuderia, having joined them in 2019 after a debut year at Sauber. Despite rumors of a possible team switch, he has a multi-year contract with Ferrari and appears to have no intention of leaving.

Hamilton faced his biggest challenge yet in his first year with Ferrari, recording the only season of his career without wins. For the time being, he is contracted to stay with the team until 2026, and has said that he is hoping his sophomore year in red will bring better results.

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Williams - Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz

Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz helped Williams secure their best result since 2017 with a P5 in the Constructor standings. The duo will team up again for the 2026 season, hoping to build on the momentum from this year.

Albon recorded his best result with Williams since joining the team in 2021, showing incredible pace in the first half of the season and earning 73 points and P8 in the Driver's standings. His current contract expires in 2026.

Sainz struggled at the beginning of the season; however, he showed once he came to grips with the car, scoring three podiums (two Grands Prix, and one Sprint) for the team. Like Albon, he is currently contracted until the end of 2026.

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Racing Bulls - Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad

Racing Bulls are getting yet another line-up change in 2026. Joining Liam Lawson will be Arvid Lindblad, who was promoted from Formula 2 into F1, filling in Hadjar’s open seat following his move to Red Bull. This will also be the team’s first full season with Alan Permane as team principal, who took over when Laurent Mekies was promoted to Red Bull midway through the 2025 season.

Lawson will be entering his second full season in F1, after joining the grid during the final stretch of 2024 in place of Daniel Ricciardo. Lawson started 2025 with Red Bull but was moved to Racing Bulls after struggling through the first two rounds of the year.

His rookie teammate, Lindblad, has shown great promise in F2, claiming two wins and finishing sixth overall during his only season in the series. Both Lawson and Lindblad’s contracts are of unspecified lengths.

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Aston Martin - Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll

Aston Martin is going into 2026 with solid line-up stability, as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will be teaming up for the fourth year in a row. The team spent much of 2025 focusing on the development of their 2026 challenger, and will be hoping for a better outcome next year, as they finished seventh overall.

Alonso will enter his 23rd season in F1 next year, extending his record for longest driver career in the history of the sport. His current contract keeps him with the team until 2026. Whether it will be his final season in the sport or not remains to be seen.

Stroll will be in his eighth season with Aston Martin, and 10th overall, in 2026. In June of last year, he signed an extension to his agreement with the team that set him up to be racing with Aston Martin in “2025 and beyond.”

Haas - Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman

Yet another team going into 2026 with no changes to their line-up, Haas is sticking with Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon for a second year. The two brought a balance of experience and youth to the team, and will be looking to build on their results for next year.

Bearman impressed in his rookie season with regular points finishes, and several impressive recovery drives. His best result was a P4 in Mexico, just off the podium. His contract with Haas is set to expire in 2026.

Alongside him, Ocon is starting his 10th year in the sport, and second with the American outfit. Like Bearman, he is set to stay with Haas until the end of 2026 for the time being.

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Audi - Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto

2026 continues to be a year of big changes to the grid as Sauber rebrands to Audi, welcoming the German constructor’s debut into F1. Yet they are keeping some things stable, as the crew enters the season with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto teaming up behind the wheel for the second year in a row.

Hulkenberg earned his first career podium last year, finishing third at the British Grand Prix. With 16 seasons under his belt already, Hulkenberg is exactly what Audi needs to make their debut season a success. His contract is in place until the end of this year.

Returning for a second season after an excellent rookie year will be Bortoleto. He had five points finishes in 2025 and, like Hulkenberg, is set to stay with Audi until the end of 2026 for now.

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Alpine - Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto

After a rough year in which they recorded their worst overall season in F1, Alpine will be hoping for a better result in 2026. The team is still in a bit of flux, as they have yet to confirm a team principal, with Flavio Briatore taking on the role in the interim. However, they are keeping things steady in the hands of returning drivers Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. 

Gasly recorded the team’s only points of the year, scoring 22 in total across five points finishes. He has been with the team since 2023 and signed an extension last fall that will see him stay with the French outfit through 2028.

Alongside him, Colapinto will be starting his first full season in F1 next year. He completed the last portion of 2024 with Williams in place of Logan Sargeant, and joined Alpine after the fifth race of 2025 in place of Jack Doohan. His current contract is until the end of 2026.

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Cadillac - Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas

One of the most talked about aspects of the 2026 season is the arrival of Cadillac, who will become the second American team on the grid. The announcement of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as their driver lineup was much awaited, and met with plenty of fan fare.

Both drivers are making their return to F1 after a year away from the grid. Perez last raced with Red Bull in 2024, alongside Verstappen, choosing to spend 2025 away from F1. Meanwhile Bottas spent 2025 as a reserve driver at Mercedes after departing from Sauber.

Together, the two have been part of seven Constructors’ Titles, giving them the exact experience they need to make sure that Cadillac hits the ground running in their first season.

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Images via Red Bull Content Pool, and Stake F1 Team Media Hub